Visiting the past to help someone’s future
This heart-warming new series sees people journey into their
past in order to change another person’s future with an act of extraordinary
generosity. These benefactors aren’t millionaires, instead, they are ordinary
people who have themselves battled hardships in their lives and now want to
reward those who helped them in their hour of need, or support people suffering
similar setbacks today. The popular presenter Aled Jones acts as our host,
introducing us to a benefactor in each episode and asking them about their
story. Stepping down memory lane, Aled reunites each benefactor with locations
and people from their past, discussing how their lives could have turned out
differently. Archive footage connects each story to the wider social history of
the time and helps our contributors retell their personal tales. Our benefactor
then meets potential beneficiaries to see if they could help their lives in any
way. At a meeting with their own family they share their discoveries and talk
about their donation and then the benefactor makes their life-changing gift in
an emotional final scene. Benefactors include Sheila Fox, whose blind mother
meant for a difficult childhood. She funds a guide dog to help 13-year old
Jayne Massey. And there’s WW2 veteran Len Buckley, who suffered posttraumatic stress
disorder. He chooses to help 25-year-old Toby, an army veteran and amputee,
train for the Paralympics. Emotionally charged and full of bitter-sweet and
joyous moments, Going Back, Giving Back is a feel-good series destined for
success in daytime or early evening slots.
